missions
Bible-Belt Christianity Is a Harder Mission Field than Secularism
By Thomas West at The Gospel Coalition
· July 5, 2026
· 10 min read
I spent five years planting a church in London, a city that had largely forgotten the faith that forged it. Then I accepted a call to pastor a 205-year-old congregation in downtown Nashville. And when I left London, I carried something I’m still not comfortable naming. Shame. I felt I was leaving th
Key takeaway Then I accepted a call to pastor a 205-year-old congregation in downtown Nashville.
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Original reporting by The Gospel Coalition . Christgiving surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: missions ·
Published: July 5, 2026 ·
Source: The Gospel Coalition ·
Reading time: 10 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? I spent five years planting a church in London, a city that had largely forgotten the faith that forged it. Then I accepted a call to pastor a 205-year-old congregation in downtown Nashville. And when I left London, I carried something I’m still not comfortable naming. Shame. I felt I was leaving th
When was this published? This article was first published on July 5, 2026 by The Gospel Coalition and curated for Christgiving readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Thomas West at The Gospel Coalition. To learn more about how Christgiving selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more missions coverage from Christgiving, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .